I'll get this off my chest and move on. And await Ramzy to hopefully express it with a shinier gloss. Here's the unvarnished truth.
Ohio State lost its identity. Is it a power option team? Or a pro passing team? Or a finesse horizontal team? Or a wildcat smash-it-up-the-middle team? Or a distribution hub for giving out "touches" to all the wanting hands?
Do you hike the ball to a QB with a missile launcher for an arm, and the running skills of a "mobile bulldozer"? Or do you use a QB who's an athletic freak with two Big Ten Silver Footballs and a broken shoulder? Or do you go with a proven leader who runs well and passes well, and makes great decisions and holds the Big Ten scoring records?
And the answer is:
August 2015. The juggernaut that smashed through the college football world, is returning with its star running back Ezekiel Elliott who ran for 700 yards in three playoff games against the top teams in the country! And returning with all three of its star QBs-- an "embarrassment of riches." The only significant pieces missing are a deep receiver and the least capable member of the offensive line, and a middle linebacker being replaced by a 5-star recruit who had split playing time with him. We can hardly wait to get revenge on Virginia Tech, the one team to beat the young Buckeyes early on in the 2014 championship run. The only question is how bad will the beat-down be?
But strange things happen. Virginia Tech tied Ohio State at halftime. What?
The team that throttled favored Wisconsin 59-0 and stuffed their Heisman-candidate running back Melvin Gordon while launching three 40-yard passes into the end zone?
The team that shocked Alabama and held their Heisman-runner-up receiver Amari Cooper to meaningless yardage?
The team that stymied Oregon and their Heisman-winning QB Marcus Mariota, whipping them by 22 points in spite of four turnovers– count them, four turnovers?
We could see something was wrong from the get-go. Even with the early 2-TD success. The offense wasn't clicking. Cardale was running an offense we'd not seen. And not running it well. They were forcing the big ungainly Cardale to run the option, while the option QB was on the sideline. Can you believe it? The Big Ten TD record holder and the first sophomore ever in OSU history to be voted a team captain, is... not on the field.
Well, "in Urban we trust." How many championship rings do you have? Urban wants to give Cardale a shot and if he succeeds then he will head for the NFL, and Urban still has JT for one or two more years. Smart. Makes good sense. But what is this mess of a game plan and play calling?
September 2015. So after a disappointing display against Virginia Tech, and a gleeful distraction of a spin move by one of the "embarrassment of riches," we are now ready to watch the Buckeyes pound on hapless Hawaii. We are ready to see on display the full power of the death star that destroyed the playoff opposition.
But strange things happen. Hawaii blew up the death star by crashing a huge nose guard into the center of the line. So we had to wait another week. Next week the offense is even worse. Northern Illinois is tied with OSU 13-13 in the fourth quarter. This is Northern Illinois for crying out loud. The defense pulled out a last-minute score to avoid embarrassment.
And now we start to recognize one overlooked critical piece missing from the championship team– the offensive coordinator Tom Herman. But "in Urb the sun god we trust."
The season drags on. The offense never clicks. The QBs are swapped in and out. No matter who's in there, the play-calling is abysmal. Even we fans are realizing that something is terribly wrong. And there is one significant change from the championship run-- Tim Beck is now the co-offensive coordinator up in the booth.
November 2015. It's a "night under the lights" against Michigan State, and they are without their starting QB. We are breathless with anticipation.
But strange things happen. After the rain subsides and the clock expires, the OSU game plan has generated 5 first downs and 46 yards passing.
You saw that right, count them on one hand, your hand without the championship rings-- five first downs!
And you and I realize: hey, I could coach OSU to five first downs. And I would accept a measly couple hundred thousand bucks to do it.
After that dismal failure, the star running back, says what you're not supposed to say: The coaches screwed the players and did not put them in a position to win. Thank you Mr. Elliott-- for openly saying what all of us fans without title rings could see. Now the changes finally happen. Warinner will join Beck in the booth up above to help call the plays.
Ohio State crushes Michigan 42-13, and even let's off the gas pedal or it couldda wouldda shouldda been an historic beat down, tying the record point margin of the 1968 score 50-14. Then Ohio State whips Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl 44-28, and that without Joey Bosa. Well all are happier. But OSU missed an historic repeat and rematch against Alabama in what would have been an epic CFP title game.
A record number of players leave for the NFL-- Elliott and Bosa in the top five selections– and many more-- too numerous to count on two hands. It was a dream team of championship players without 2015 championship rings on their fingers.
September 2016. Same problems. A lethargic offense. But Urban is a forgiving sun god and allows Tim Beck his standard two-year hire policy. No dismissal happens. Oklahoma is surprisingly easy, just toss the ball into the end zone and let a 220-pound Noah Brown take the ball away from the Okies' undersized, underclassmen DBs four times.
October and November 2016. The offense sputters along. Eking out wins over Wisconsin in OT, Northwestern, 3-9 Michi State by a missed 2-point conversion, and Michigan in 2OT, and earlier losing to Big Ten champ Penn State with JT getting sacked how many times?
December 2016. Nevertheless Ohio State makes the cut for the CFP playoffs. With four weeks to prepare, Urban is unstoppable. The offense will be fixed: the receivers will run better routes, the QB will throw better passes, the O-line will block better, and...
Strange things happen. Clemson - 31 Ohio State - 0
A Total Eclipse of the Sun.
That's right. No fingers for counting needed, with or without title rings. And you and I realize we could coach OSU to zero points. Forget about paying us. We'll do this one for free.
Goodbye Tim Beck.
You may be a nice guy, but I wish I'd never known you. Here's to brighter days ahead.
